1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a process for producing elastic sheetings, more particularly to a process for producing patterned elastic sheetings.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, an elastic patterned sheeting or laminate with a predetermined thickness can be made by hot pressing or cold pressing a foamed material. However, due to a long preheat processing time that is usually required during the forming stage, the laminate tends to shrink and change the material characteristics thereof so that the denseness and hardness of the laminate cannot be maintained uniformly, thereby resulting in defective products.
Thus, in order to eliminate the above-mentioned drawback, another conventional process has been proposed, wherein a single-layer foam with a predetermined thickness and dimension is fed into and pressed between upper and lower press rollers having protrusions and indentations, and is cut into two elastic sheetings by a cutter that passes between the press rollers before the foam returns to its non-deformed state. After the foam exits from the press rollers, it is divided into two elastic sheetings having complementary protruding and indenting patterns on their respective surfaces. This process is simple, and the material characteristics of the resultant elastic sheetings will not change. Although this conventional process can achieve its intended purpose, there is a need for a process that is more efficient and that can be used to produce elastic sheetings having a greater variety of patterns thereon.